Welcome to grad!

As Head and deputy head of Department, it is our pleasure to celebrate the achievements, dedication, and growth of our postgraduate community. This year also marks the first year of leadership under the current Head of Department Dr Mpondi Molefe, supported by the Deputy HoD, Dr Tendamudzimu Tshiwawa. Together, we remain committed to fostering an environment that supports academic excellence, collaboration, and innovation in both teaching and research. Our students and staff continue to contribute meaningfully to advancing knowledge in chemistry, from fundamental studies to applied research addressing real-world challenges.

This year, the Department of Chemistry has also had the pleasure of welcoming two new staff members, Dr Songeziwe Ntsimango and Dr Petrus Mokolokolo. We are delighted to have them join our academic community and look forward to the valuable contributions they will make in teaching, research, and mentorship. Their expertise strengthens the department and further enhances the support available to our postgraduate programmes.

We are also pleased that the ongoing building renovations have brought positive developments to the department. Most of our facilities are now back up and running, including the NMR 600 instrument, which is once again available to support our research activities. Work on restoring the NMR 400 is also underway. These improvements mark an important step in strengthening our research infrastructure and will continue to support the high-quality work carried out by our postgraduate students and staff.

We hope this newsletter highlights the impressive work taking place within our community and serves as a source of inspiration and pride. We wish all our postgraduate students continued success in their research and academic journeys.

Dr Mpondi Molefe and

Dr Tendamudzimu Tshiwawa